Tales of the Wanderer That Wasn't: Prequel & Book 1 (Reworking)
by AmayaZilla
Summary: Half-elf, half-werecat, and with a baby dragon to care for, Katherine finds herself struggling against the whole world. She is unlike anyone that came before her and despite all of her attempts she cannot relate to the other races of Alagaësia so she takes the only option she sees left: runaway. Things aren't what they seem though as friends and enemies alike stand in her path.
1. Prologue

**_Prologue_**

_Dragons soared overhead as a lone elf broke away from her kind, slipping nearly unnoticed into the nearby ranks of werecats. Likewise a tall, shaggy werecat approached her in his human form._

_One person noticed their strange exchange though, a silvered werecat that was old beyond age. She watched with nervous energy but did nothing to stop it, it was inevitable._

_This strange meeting took place only moments before fall of Galbatorix and his cursed black dragon._

_Then the tyrant king fell and Eragon took the last of the dragons and everything associated with them to a far off land to train the new Riders._

_Everything gradually returned to peace but only a year after this a strange thing happened. The elf maid and the tall werecat had a child, a cursed child some called her._

_The elf died in childbirth for unknown reasons and the werecat was slain mysteriously a few days later, leaving the strange half-child parentless and mostly despised._

_They called her Katherine Aleron and she called herself Amaya Waneta while many others called her Koko, and Ala Umbra, and Dema, and Frost, and Wind Rider, and Zilla, and She of Many Names, and many others besides. Like werecats she gave her name out to no one so the different races of Alagaësia created different names for her and added to the ever growing list._

_In appearance she was mostly elf, if slightly short at four and a half feet, with sharp slanting blue eyes and pointed, if cat-like, ears but she had granted herself with large, black-feathered wings to satisfy her desire to fly and her tail even in humanoid form. She was more cat-like than any elf before her and had claws and sharp teeth like the werecats as well as the ability to take on her cat shape, which was larger than other werecats and a light tawny-silver shade with dark brown tufts that matched her hair._

_The werecats argued long and hard about how she would be raised but eventually agreed to give her to the elves because her mother was an elf._

_She grew up in the culture of the elves but could not find a place for herself in it._

_The elves began to worry about what she would become and many tried to control her but she resisted their control and turned her back on them. By age seventeen she broke away from them all and lived alone at the edge of __Ellesméra. Faced with her anger and resistance the elves chose to ignore her and this patterned continued for nearly a hundred years._

_That is until something happened that the elves couldn't ignore, how were they to know her elf blood would allow it when no werecats were Riders?_


	2. Chapter 1: Unexpected Problem

_**Chapter 1: Unexpected Problem**_

I wasn't really sure what was happening, I wasn't even supposed to be there but I was entranced by the light blue dragon egg as it passed down the line of elves without hatching.

I should have left then but I couldn't help reaching out as the egg passed by my hiding place. My fingers barely brushed the egg but I could feel the warmth of the dragon within.

That was when it happened, the egg rocked on its pillow, tipping dangerously over the edge as a slight tapping noise started.

The nearby elves glanced at each other, confused as to who the egg was reacting to because they couldn't see me in the shadows or feel my mind.

The egg rocked again, a crack appearing in the shell as it tipped off the pillow and rolled onto the ground. The creature inside let out a startled grunt and shoved her head out of the crack in an attempt to see those around her.

I couldn't help reaching forward to right the egg, careful not to touch the hatchling, as she struggled against the shell and created several more cracks.

The elves noticed me then and they weren't happy, several tried to grab the egg and take it from me but an angry squawk from the hatchling sent them all reeling back.

The hatchling was out of her shell by then and turned to study me with bright green-blue eyes. Her scales were lighter than any blue I had seen before and her tail was so long she could bite it without bending her body.

The elves again attempted to stop us from bonding but this time they were too late. The hatchling arched her neck and rubbed her head against my right palm where I was still holding a fragment of the shell. A spark tingled up my arm and I nearly cried out in pain as I fell back into the shadows, dropping the egg fragments and nursing my marked hand.

Slowly the pain subsided and I glanced up to see the little blue perched on my knee and still watching me while the elves nearby shouted at each other in confusion.

Her mind brushed mine and I could feel her hunger but under it all I could make out was sky.

* * *

Arya was sitting on her throne speaking with two of her advisors when the runner came in and shouted "There is trouble in the main square."

She turned to regard him while sending a thought to Fírnen. _What has happened?_

It was a moment before the green dragon replied; she could feel him searching out to the square. _The egg has hatched…to the halfling._

_Katherine? _Arya shook her head and turned back to the runner "Bring her and the hatchling here now."

He stared at her a moment, confused, then took off back into the heart of the city.

The advisors drew back then and the three elves waited in silence until the runner returned, followed by several more elves and the halfling.

Arya waved away the spectators and they reluctantly withdrew as she summoned the child forward "You present a problem Katherine, one that only you can solve."

Katherine raised her head and glared at the queen, the little hatchling perched on her shoulder and chirruping worriedly. "I see no problem, you would do better to ignore me as you have before," her voice was cold as ice and surprisingly old for her young frame.

"Any new Rider must be sent to Eragon within a week of hatching so they can gain instruction, halfling or not you must obey the law of the land." Arya made her voice equally cold knowing full well that this girl was dangerous, perhaps more dangerous than even Elva or Angela.

Katherine seemed to flinch at that though the motion was too quick to really notice. "Not all Riders have to gain instruction from Eragon, neither you nor Murtagh went to him."

"It is not a choice Katherine-" Arya cut off as Fírnen stretched his mind over them. _Why do you seek such violence youngling? Do you not want to be a Rider?_

This time the halfling made no reply but turned and disappeared back into her shadows with the hatchling still chirruping on her shoulder.

Arya sighed and rubbed her temples before turning to glance at her advisors "Find someone to keep an eye or her until we can send her to Eragon."

One of the elves nodded and left but the other regarded her worriedly "We have made a dangerous enemy today, it would have been simpler if the egg had not hatched."

She nodded agreement and raised her eyes to gaze in the direction the child had disappeared "Perhaps Eragon can reason with her"


	3. Chapter 2: Desperate Plans

_**Chapter 2: Desperate Plans**_

It was more than a week later though before Arya could contact Eragon. A fierce storm had blown over the ancient forest, spreading far into the east and making passage that way treacherous at best.

Eragon was seated on a low black stool in what she took to be a large cave. Saphira was curled behind him, only her head visible as she watched them.

Arya gazed at him in the mirror for a long moment before speaking, her words barely carrying above the storm that raged outside "The halfling has repeatedly shaken off her watch Eragon; we cannot safely keep her here much longer. No one can even feel her mind; it is like a void that you just pass over."

"Saphira predicts the storm will last for a month or more, I can't help wondering if Katherine didn't create it herself" Eragon muttered, his gaze trailing back to the great blue dragon as she blinked at them.

"No one has the power to create such a storm" Arya muttered too low for him to hear as Fírnen replied. _We know nothing about her, it is possible._

_We have to send her now, some way or another._ Arya shook her head and glanced up to see Eragon watching her.

"Have you found a solution yet?"

She shook her again then glanced out into the storm "If this storm doesn't end in another week I'll take her out there myself."

Eragon made no comment and the mirror slowly cleared as the spell was released.

* * *

I leaned further against the tree as I listened to their conversation, smiling to myself but I frowned when Arya mentioned taking me out there herself. _It's time to go Azura._

The dragon shifted in the shadows beside me and blinked when she found my eyes. Her thoughts were a confused jumble of images and sensations that I couldn't sort through.

I shook my head and sent her the impression of leaving, nearly forcing it on her as she tried to reject it.

When she finally consented she lowered her head and slipped back into the shadows, heading towards the clearing we had been staying in.

I watched her a moment, troubled, then turned and slipped through the trees towards Rhunön's forge.

Once I reached the forge I slowed and scanned with my mind for the smith. She was nowhere near, probably out gathering more metal, so I slipped into the forge and rummaged through the small pile of brightsteel chunks.

The metal was heavier than I had expected and it took me several moments to decide upon what pieces I could use. Once I had them I slipped them into my bag and retreated back to the shadows as the elf smith returned.

I didn't wait to see if she noticed me though, instead I slipped out of there as quick as I could and ran towards the clearing where Azura was waiting.

She raised her head as I entered the clearing but I ignored her and began to gather what few things we owned, stuffing them into the bag with the brightsteel and tying my rolled up blanket on top.

Once that was done I climbed to the top of a nearby tree and glanced down at Azura. _Come on, let's fly._

Azura cocked her head and glanced back towards Ellesméra a moment before launching into the sky.

I smiled at her and spread my feathery wings, watching the elf city a moment longer before shooting myself after Azura and together we disappeared into the storm.

* * *

"There's been a theft at the forge." "Katherine and her dragon have disappeared; no one can find them in or around Ellesméra." "Several books are missing from around the city."

Arya sighed as the clamor continued, making no move to stop it. Only a day had passed since her conversation with Eragon and she couldn't help wondering if that was the cause.

Outside Fírnen shifted, his thoughts troubled. _A rouge Rider is dangerous but this halfling is even more so._

_I know, perhaps Angela could find her but we have no way of contacting her either._ Arya replied, finally waving to one of her advisors to shut the crowd up.

_Why steal the brightsteel though, does she hope to make her own sword?_

_From the reports she didn't steal enough to make a sword, I'm not sure what her plans are._ With the crowd quiet she turned her attention back to them and asked "How many Riders do we have to track her?"

"Not counting you and if they can find her, two other Riders are in Alagaësia, one a dwarf and the other human." replied one of the elves near the back.

Arya leaned back in her seat and gazed at the ceiling for a moment. _Not enough to help and they probably won't be able to find her either. Perhaps something else though… _She lowered her gaze and glanced to the advisors again "Find a werecat then, go all the way to the human throne if you have to."

The elves looked startled and troubled by the order but they soon dispersed and several headed out to find the elusive werecats.


	4. Chapter 3: Rumors in the Stars

_**Chapter 3: Rumors in the Stars**_

It was more than a month later, after the storm had finally stopped, and Arya was standing on the Crags of Tel'naeír with Fírnen.

Only three werecats had offered to help track the halfling and their searches had been little more fruitful. They had managed to find Katherine's home, a carefully hidden hut at the far side of a small clearing, but there the trail dead ended.

Since then rumors had reached her, rumors and rumors of rumors that only made the situation worse. Two shadowy forms had been seen raiding a food-storage in one of the human cities, livestock had gone missing from both dwarves and humans, and urgals had reported strange noises in the depths of the Spine.

Now though Arya stood gazing out over the forest with her dragon. Her mind wandered in a thousand directions, she knew it was time to call Eragon for help but she was reluctant to. She'd been avoiding his messages for weeks now and had yet to inform him that they now had a rouge Rider on the loose.

"You're overly worried, you shouldn't avoid the inevitable. Zilla hasn't even done anything yet"

Arya twisted around at the voice, startled to see Angela and two werecats standing at the edge of the stream. "Zilla?" Arya murmured, noticing that one of the werecats was Solembum and the other was an ancient creature that looked more silver than anything.

Fírnen twisted his head to regard them then resumed his watch of the forest.

Angela smiled at him before turning her attention back to Arya "Sorry, you call her Katherine correct? She goes by far too many names these days."

"Oh" Arya turned back to watch the forest below and the herbalist soon joined her with the werecats. "Should we wait until she does something then? She's too dangerous to leave loose, especially with a young dragon"

"Well of course but that doesn't mean you can find her" Angela smirked and then waved at the silver werecat "Silverage here might be able to help you though."

The ancient werecat regarded Arya with tired eyes before opening her mind to the elf. _I am old beyond age, I have seen dragons rise and fall, yet never have I seen such terrible things written in the stars. This halfling as you call her has all the power of both her races and yet is neither. _Her voice was slow and slipped at times, making her words hard to understand.

Arya shifted her gaze to where the first stars were peeking out between the clouds leftover from the storm. "What is written there old one?"

_She is only a danger if you make her one yet her path is marked by blood… _Silverage shook her head, her eyes growing distant _Perhaps I should have stopped them but this was meant to be. Eragon will be in danger very soon though unless you warn him, she wants the name…_

* * *

I crouched on the roof of a house, my gaze trained on the people moving below searching for me.

Azura shifted beside me, letting out a soft hiss and I silenced her with my tail before she could draw their attention. _Not yet, be patient._

She glared at me then ducked down again so her eyes wouldn't be seen if they looked our way.

Several minutes passed like that while the last of the sun's light faded behind me. Finally, on an unspoken signal, we leapt down at the men.

I changed to my cat form mid-leap and landed across the back of one while Azura caught another with her tail around his throat and her claws in his shoulders.

Again without words we rose into the air with our prey, carrying them out of sight before the others could react.

We flew with no real direction, sometimes grunting under the weight of the struggling men, until finally we left the city behind and could drop them into a ditch barricaded for just this purpose.

Azura circled overhead to keep watch while I landed on the edge of the barricade, out of reach if the men tried to attack.

While the men found their feet again I changed back to my human form and resettled my dress which had shifted slightly in my other form. Once I was content again I glanced down at the men "So can we do this simply or do I have to kill you?"

"You're a terror Dema, you'll have nothing from us" growled one of the men, he was older than the other and had a scraggily bread that looked to be gray in the darkness.

I flinched at the nickname, that one I hated the most, and turned my gaze to the other man "So you want to die needlessly? I haven't even asked my question yet."

Azura let out a roar, warning that the other men had spotted us, and swooped lower to attack if need be.

I barely spared a glance for her as I leapt down to stand in front of the men "Speak now or die, where is Walkron the human Rider?"

The older man raised his arm to attack and I knocked him across the head, whispering a word too low for them to hear. He dropped to the ground unconscious and the other one backed up against the barricade.

"Last chance, speak or I will kill you both" I growled as Azura let out another roar above.

"He-he's in Surda, I don't know where" the man stammered as I stepped closer, his eyes darting between me and his useless companion "Near the lake or the ocean, they like water or something"

I smiled and touched him on the forehead, murmuring forget in the ancient language.

He dropped to join his companion and I took to the sky again as arrows began to whistle through the air. Some bounced off my wards and others buried themselves in the barricade while I circled up to join Azura and we took off into the growing darkness.

Behind us the stars began to appear, spelling out warnings that few people could read and fewer noticed.


	5. Chapter 4: Dragons on the Lake

_**Chapter 4: Dragons on the Lake**_

Arya sighed as Angela and Solembum disappeared back into the forest, leaving her and Silverage to gaze at the stars alone.

Finally she leaned against Fírnen and pulled out the mirror Eragon had enchanted for her, whispering the spell without taking her eyes off the sky.

It was several moments before Eragon appeared, looking more haggard than the last time, and smiled at her "Sorry, is something wrong over there? We still haven't received the halfling."

Arya hesitated a moment more before turning her eyes to him and explaining all that had happened since their last conversation from the thefts to Katherine's rouge status.

Eragon listened without commenting until the end then turned and spoke with Saphira. When he turned back to her a strange glint had appeared in his eyes "I'm sending more Riders to Alagaësia, there are plenty ready and it looks like you might need them."

Before Arya could reply Silverage, now in her human form and wearing a simple brown dress, took the mirror and gazed at Eragon "Do not fight her or you will regret it. She does not seek violence, only understanding."

* * *

Another month passed in seemingly no time at all as we cut across the lower half of the Empire and into Surda. Stealing when we had to and generally avoiding people.

The setting sun was at our backs, casting weird shadows across the ground as Tüdosten Lake came into view. The great brown bulk of Terron, Walkron's dragon, laid out along the near side.

I slowed and landed silently out of the dragon's sight, not that he was looking our way, and waited until Azura had landed beside me before slipping closer to the lake.

Terron wasn't a large dragon, in fact he was relatively small at just a year old and nobody really understood why Eragon had sent them out early, but he was still much bigger than Azura.

I didn't need him though, I needed Walkron, a young man with an average build and bright hazel eyes.

Terron shifted as we got closer and then raised his great head.

Azura hissed and I yanked her against the ground, eyeing the brown dragon warily as he scanned the area before resuming his nap.

Several moments passed then I cautiously crept closer, moving towards the lake with Azura close behind.

Walkron appeared then, striding from nearby Furnost to his dragon.

Full night was upon us now and I slowly moved along the lake edge into Walkron's view, warning Azura to stay down with my tail.

Walkron's eyes widened and he dropped whatever he had been eating to draw his sword. Terron was on his feet now and close beside his Rider.

"I don't want to hurt you" I murmured, making an effort to sound sweet and innocent "I just need directions to Eragon's Haven. See I have this dragon here but I don't know what to do" Azura slinked up to me and gazed at the pair with unblinking eyes.

Walkron hesitated but before he could make a decision two more dragons appeared in the sky, fast approaching from the east.

I cursed in the dwarf's tongue and had my dagger at Walkron's throat before he could focus on me again "Please don't make me hurt you."

Terron roared behind us but Azura threw herself at him before he could swat me away. Terron ended up rolling into the lake while Azura shot out over it, hissing the whole time.

Walkron however didn't react, his gaze was calm as he watched the approaching dragons "It is your choice to hurt but I can tell you how to find the haven."

"Quickly then" I snarled in his ear, my mind slipping over his to absorb the memories. He recoiled slightly from the mental touch, probably fearing my mind, but managed to hold still throughout the process.

I released him then and used his shoulders as a spring broad to take to the sky while Azura broke away from the brown to join me.

Terron seemed partially settled but the other two dragons were upon us then and roared a challenge.

I snarled in response, noting that both Riders were urgals and the dragons were much larger than Terron, then shot above them with Azura.

Below Walkron shouted something that sounded like leave her but I couldn't be sure. Regardless it was too late, one of the dragons loosed a jet of flames at us and I dratted down under him, my dagger raised again and tearing at flesh.

The dragon howled in pain and dropped to one side as Azura joined in by ripping holes in his right wing. The other one joined then, catching one of my wings and leaving jagged wounds across the edge with her teeth.

The Riders could do nothing from their dragons' backs and I snarled, dropping the dagger in my anger, and sank my claws into the wounded dragon's other wing.

He howled again as I reached around the edge of the membrane and slit his saddle's neck strap. Following my lead Azura dove under his other wing, out of the other dragon's reach, and snapped the opposite strap with her teeth.

Satisfied we dropped back and shot off back towards the Empire, blood dripping from our wounds, while a scream sounded behind us.

The Rider had fallen with his saddle on top of him while the dragon tried to stay airborne on shredded wings. The cry was cut off though as Terron and Walkron caught the injured pair and eased them down.


	6. Chapter 5: Truthseer and Vision-Follower

_**Chapter 5: Truthseer and Vision-Follower**_

Walkron leapt off Terron's back the moment they landed and sprinted over to the fallen Rider pair.

The urgal was simply unconscious after banging his head against Terron's side but the dragon was bleeding severely from his belly wound and his wings were shredded beyond flight.

Terron followed at a slower pace while the other pair landed off to the side. Walkron turned to watched them, noting that the urgal was female and probably mates with injured one, then ran his hands along the dragon's wound.

"Go fetch that dagger, it fell somewhere over the lake" he murmured after a moment, just loud enough for the female urgal to hear, and stepped closer to the dragon's head "I'm not the best healer but I should be able to stop the bleeding."

The dragon regarded him with one slitted eye, too exhausted to really care, while a blast of air announced that the other pair had taken off again.

"Come spread his wing out Terron so I can see the damage." The brown dragon did as asked and silence pervaded for several long minutes while Walkron healed the ragged holes left by the smaller blue. Once finished there they moved on to the other wing which proved harder to heal as the halfling's claws had ripped to the bone in most places.

_They shouldn't have made her angry, this shouldn't have happened._ Walkron murmured to himself while he healed the last gash that ran from the dragon's wing into his side.

Terron agreed, occasionally glancing towards the lake to keep an eye on the others.

Finished with the wings, Walkron moved back to the belly wound and began to draw the torn flesh back together but stopped after a moment.

_Is something wrong?_ Terron asked, nosing at the unconscious urgal.

_I'm not sure, the wound feels wrong…_ Walkron shook his head as the female urgal and her dragon landed on the edge of the lake then walked over to her and took the dagger.

It was a strange dagger he noted, with a steel hilt and black blade but the strangest part was the chip of diamond embedded in the tip of the blade. The diamond was so clear it was nearly invisible and yet seemed filled with purpose. _Where did such a weapon come from?_

"Will he be alright Truthseer?" the urgal's voice grated against his nerves but he nodded and turned back to the wounded dragon.

As he whispered words and began working again to heal the wound, the urgal watched him with unreadable eyes.

After a while she murmured in a low voice "We should have heeded your warning Truthseer, you have never been wrong before"

Walkron sighed, finishing with the wound before turning to look at her "It's not your fault, she might have attacked unprovoked and she might not have." He shook his head and padded over to Terron "All I could read from her was that she didn't want to hurt us, not that she wouldn't."

"She's the one they call Dema in the cities and mine clans refer to as Ala Umbra?"

Walkron nodded, his eyes distant as he gazed in the direction the halfling had fled "She of Many Names, hers is a sad fate."

The urgal grunted, unconvinced and moved over to her companion "Truthseer or not, you cannot justify her madness"

"Perhaps my ability is not what's needed against her but she doesn't lie."

"She is part elf, that clouds your judgment" she grunted again and finally sat against her dragon's side.

Walkron shrugged, tucked the strange dagger under his belt, and climbed onto Terron's back again. _Let's go find some answers then._

Terron rumbled agreement and took to the sky again, leaving the urgals to take care of themselves.

* * *

I collapsed beside the small, abandoned hovel somewhere halfway between Furnost and Ilirea. My wing throbbed, I lost the black diamond dagger, and my whole body ached from the anger attack. I shouldn't have lost control yet the pain released it faster than anything else.

Azura landed beside me and nosed my injured wing, forcing me to turn to her.

I sighed and slowly sat up, pulling the wounded wing around to study it. The dragon's teeth had ripped off a large section of flesh and chipped the fragile bone underneath. I grunted and with Azura's help healed the wound before standing to examine our surroundings.

Ilirea gleamed in the distance and off to our right the Hadarac Desert stretched to the sky. The plain we stood in seemed lifeless and abandoned, no creatures stirred nearby and the hovel behind us was little more than a wooden shell.

_We should go, this place reeks of death…_ Azura growled, scanning the area while her tail flicked back and forth like a snake.

_I know, let's be gone._ I responded but at that moment the ground opened up and swallowed us.


	7. Chapter 6: Underground World

_**Chapter 6: Underground World**_

Pain was my first instinct, lots of pain. I shifted and rose on my hands and knees, feeling blood on one side and rocks under me.

Azura stirred to my right and swung her head towards me, her bright green-blue eyes the only light.

Feeling for a wall, I managed to stand and pull in my bruised wings before trying to make out our surroundings.

Walls of earth and rock rose on either side and stretched upward as far as I could see. Behind Azura and over to the side a crack split the ground and released a faint reddish light.

I tested my body before moving, wincing at the pain that lanced up my arms and legs, then limped over to the crack and peered down.

Azura joined me as I made out a river of lava far below and several strange creatures along the edge of the river.

_Should we say hi?_ I glanced at Azura then back down to the strange creatures. _We don't have anywhere else to go…_

Azura shrugged and tested the edge of the crack to make sure she would fit. Satisfied she dropped down towards the river and spread her wings to glide towards the creatures.

I followed her, enjoying the warm air, and scanned the creatures again as we got closer. They looked like large wolves with jewels embedded in their foreheads and dull black chains around their necks.

Azura landed first, getting several growls as the wolf-things backed away, and I dropped down beside her. Once on the ground again I reached out to the creatures with my thoughts, soothing them with several lines in the ancient language before they would respond.

It was the largest that spoke, his voice like nothing I had ever heard before. It was rough and sometimes impossible to translate much like the dragons' original language. _Be gone winged demons. The Flame River pack does not dwell with over-worlders._

_I merely need to know the way back to the surface, then we will leave you in peace._ I responded, keeping a hand on Azura's neck to steady both of us.

The wolf-thing growled and stepped towards us, the strange green gem above his eyes glowing. _Go then, the way to the upper-world lies past the broken stump._

Without warning the wolf-things were gone, all but one pup that looked confused. She was smaller than the others with coal black fur and soft blue eyes. Her gem was red and it glowed for a moment before she padded over to me.

"You want to come with me and see the world?" I murmured reaching down to pick her up.

She nodded, twisting in my arms to look at me. _They say the world is bad, no going to the surface._

_What do you call yourself?_ I asked after a moment, turning to scan the area for a way out.

_They called me Raja_ The wolf respond and settled deeper into my arms.

Azura glanced at me and snorted before padding over to a tunnel that looked to go up. _I thought you said no picking up strays?_

_She's not a stray and we could use the help._ I responded and followed her into the tunnel.

* * *

Terron circled over the ground in frustration, occasionally loosing a thin jet of flame. _They have disappeared, the trail ends here._ His tail slapped against the ground beside the abandoned hovel as he finished, still glaring at the ground.

_We'll find them Terron, they can't have gone far…_ Walkron paused and scanned the area again, before sighing and turning back to the brown dragon. _Perhaps we should wait for her to come to us, she wants to go to the haven for something._

Terron snorted and scanned the area again, _I hate things we can't trace. Why should she smell like a werecat yet look like an elf?_

Walkron shook his head and climbed back into the saddle. _More questions and only she can answer…_

* * *

**A/N: To answer a few questions:**

**Why do they hate her/are afraid of her?-Simple, because she is different and they don't understand what she is.**

**How does her half-blood work?-Well she has more the physical appearance of an elf but the werecat dominates her power.**

**Did she create the storm in the beginning?-No, she's not that powerful and the elves were just speculating.**

**Why can't they feel her mind?-It's not that they can't feel it. As Arya described in the beginning it feels more like a void than a mind and most people pass right over it if they aren't looking for it. That will be explained more later when she crosses with Eragon.**


	8. Note to Readers

Okay this was a good run and I am thankful to my faithful followers and anyone who read the story as it is. The trouble is this 'trial run' needs some major reworking before it becomes the story I intended it to be and sadly I don't have time to rework it with college starting in a few days. This story/fanfic has taken a back seat to the many other stories I'm working on and, though I plan to finish it at some point, it is unlikely I'll get back to it in the near future. At some point I will delete this version (because with all the reworking it would be simpler to start fresh) but for now I will leave it up for anyone that wishes to read it.


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